Lock for separable fasteners



March 13, 1934. J, RIFKIN LOOK FOR SEPARABLE FASTENERS Filed April 29,1932 2 Shgts-Sheet l March 13, 1934. J m 1,959,414

LOCK FOR SEPARABLE FASTENERS Filed April 29, .1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2Patented Mar. 13, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT GFFICE 14 Claims.

separable fasteners such as have commonly been used on bags, pouches, orcontainers of flexible material, whether of cloth, leather, or anynon-rigid material, have heretofore been provided with exterior looks ordetachable padlocks and exterior locking devices, such as hasps,staples, and eyes.

My present invention has for certain of its principal objects, first,the provision of improved locking means for the slider of a separablefastener used on bags, receptacles, pouches, or the like, of flexible orpliable material, adapted to be built within and permanently housed byand connected to the bag, pouch, receptacle or the like and constructedto resist any effort to force it open; second, locking means which willprevent forcing of the separable fastener through the slider for thepurpose of opening the separable fastener when it is locked thereby;third, locking means substantially contained within the receptacle orpouch and concealed by it.

Further objects are the provision of locking means of improvedconstruction, particularly adapted to co-operate with the standard, orgenerally accepted type of slider provided in connection with separablefasteners now known to the trade, for the purpose of housing,concealing, and locking the slider and toprotect it against access sothat it cannot be pried or displaced from locked position or otherwisetampered with and to prevent the teeth of the fastener from being openedby unauthorized persons.

While one of the principal objects of the invention is to providelocking means built into the receptacle, pouch, or bag which has aseparable fastener, so that the locking means will be just as unitarywith the receptacle as is the separable fastener, nevertheless I amaware that the improved locking means I have provided may be used as aself -contained lock and, therefore, claim is made to the lockingdevice, not only in its combination with the receptacle and theseparable fastener but, also, as an independent article. My invention issusceptible of embodiment in different constructions without departingfrom the essential principles thereof. Certain of the embodiments of theinvention are hereinafter described and are shown in the accompanyingdrawings; other embodiments may be resorted to, whether the lockingmeans be used as an independent unit, or, built into the receptacle,pouch, bag, or the like, which has the separable fastener.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective view showing apart of a bag or pouch provided with an ordinary separable fastener andwith the present improved locking means, the slider of the separablefastener being in locked position;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view showing the separable fastener closed andthe slider in position to be locked but with the improved locking meansin unlocked position;

Fig. 3 is a detail View through the parts when in the position shown inFig. l, the clamp for the barrel of the locking means being broken awayand the flexible or pliable material of the bag being in section;

Fig. 4 is a detail plan view of the locking means by itself, in unlockedcondition, the key being in the lock;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary detail View illustrating a modification of thelocking means of the preceding figures, disclosing plates projectingfrom the body of the locking means for attachment by rivets or prongs tothe flexible or pliable material of the bag or container;

Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view of a modification of the lockingmeans wherein the slider of the separable fastener is shown as beinglocked by the locking member;

Fig. 7 is a detail view of the locking means of the embodiment shown inFig. 6, with which is associated, in detached form, the usual slider ofa separable fastener, the locking member being unlocked; and

Figs. 8 and 9, are detail plan and side Views of the slider of aseparable fastener, the manipulating or finger piece being absent.

The bag, receptacle, pouch, container, or the like, which is of flexibleor pliable material, such as cloth, leather, composition material, etc.,is shown in conventional form at 1 in the various views. It will beunderstood, however, that the present improvements may be applied to anyreceptacle or container, regardless of the use to which it is intendedto be put, and that the outline or shape of the receptacle or containerdoes not enter into the present invention.

The usual separable fastener of the type which at present is well-knownto the trade, is shown in conventional fashion at 2 and the slider whichengages and disengages the said fastener in a manner well-known to thoseskilled in the art, appears at 3. customarily, the slider 3 is providedwith a manipulating member 4, which is 106 generally loosely connectedto the slider 3 as, for instance, by attachment to a loop 5, carried bythe slider 3. My improved locking means, as shown in the drawings,comprises a unit, two of whose embodiments appear in Figs. 4 and 5.

Referring first to Figs. 3 and 4, the lock-part is rotatably mountedwithin a barrel 6 but as the interior construction of the lock is notmaterial and may be varied according to approved practice, the interiorlocking mechanism is not shown in detail.

Carried by the lock-part which is mounted to turn in the locking barrel6, is a locking and housing jaw 7, which may be turned through an angleof, preferably, as from the position shown in Figs. 2 and 4 to thatshown in Figs. 1 and 3, or vice versa. When in the position shown inFigs. 2 and 4, the locking jaw is open so that the slider 3 may bepositioned for subsequent housing and looking, or, may be disconnectedfrom the locking means to enable the slider to be operated to open theseparable fastener 2.

A key 8, which is adapted for reception in a keyhole 9 in the jaw 7 androtatable lock-part, is immovably held, so that it cannot be withdrawn,when the locking and housing jaw 7 is in the open position shown inFigs. 2 and 4. This key is used as a turn button or finger piece to turnthe jaw 7 through an angle of substantially 90 to bring it to a positionwhere it will overlie the slider 3, and when this position is assumed,the lock contained within the rotatable lock-part within the barrel 6looks the jaw 7 in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 3. The key may thenbe withdrawn. Upon reinserting the key 8 in the keyhole 9, it may beused as a finger piece to turn the jaw 7 to the position shown in Figs.2 and 4 so as to render the slider 3 accessible.

The barrel 6 is provided with a lower fixed jaw 10 which projects intothe mouth of the bag or receptacle 1 in position to lie beneath thefoldable edges 1 of the mouth of the receptacle 1, it being understoodthat these foldable edges carry the separable fasteners 2.

The fixed jaw 10 is provided with a recess 11 in its upper face of thegeneral shape of the lower part of the slider 3, said recess having apart 12 which receives the narrow part. of the slider 3; thus, theslider 3, it-h these extremities of the parts 1 of the bag 1 is, whenthe separable fastener 2 has been completely closed, adapted to bepressed down into the recesses 11, 12 in the manner shown in Figs. 2 and3. The inner end of the recess 11 is closed by the face 12 of the barrel6 which constitutes an abutment for the slider 3 when the latter lieswithin the recess. The narrow part 12 and the abutment 12" effectuallyprevent any relative movement of the slider 3 and the separable fastener2, rendering it impossible to pry or force the slider out of lockedposition or the separable fastener or to be worked or fed through theslider to form a gap in the separable fastener.

When the parts are thus arranged, the key 8 may be turned to swing thejaw 7 from the position shown in Figs. 2 and 4 to that appearing inFigs. 1 and 3, whereupon the swinging or pivoted jaw 7 overlies theslider 3 and presses down upon the loop 5, holding the slider in therecesses 11,

p 12 so that, upon withdrawing the key 8 from the keyhole 9, the jaw 7will be locked. When the jaw 7 is in locked position, the slider 3 iscompletely concealed and housed and cannot be withdrawn or pried out ofthe recesses 11, 12 nor the material of the bag or receptacle forcedthrough the slider because the shape of the recesses 11, 12 prevents theslider from being pulled out laterally, and the slider is prevented fromupward or downward movement by reason of its being confined between thejaws 7 and 10.

Furthermore, the appearance is neat and only a very slight increasedthickness of the bag or receptacle results from the use of the improvedlocking means I have provided.

To unlock the bag 1, the key 8 is reinserted in the keyhole 9. Thisaction releases the lock contained within the barrel 6 and permits thejaw 7 to be swimg from the position shown in Figs. 1 and 3 to thatappearing in Figs. 2 and 4. When the parts are in this position, aslight lifting action applied to the finger piece 4, enables the slider3 to be quickly lifted and manipulated to open the fastener 2.

The barrel 6 is disposed inside of the bag or receptacle 1 and is partlyembraced by an infolded part 1" of the material or fabric of said bag orreceptacle. The infolded part 1" is clamped around the barrel 6 by aU-shaped clamp 13 which is secured to the barrel by screws 14. Thisconstruction affords a very secure connection between the locking meansand the bag 1.

In the modification shown in Fig. 5, the construction is the same asthat described except that the locking means is shown applied to adifierent shape of bag or pouch and, in lieu of the infolded part 1",the clamp 13, and the screws 14, flanges 15 are provided on the barrel 6and are connected to the bag 1 by rivets or other suitable iastenings16. Prongs on the flanges 15 can be substituted for the rivets 16.

In the modification shown in Figs. 6 and 7, instead of a laterallyswinging jaw 7, there is provided a swinging jaw 7 which is adapted tomove up and down in relation to the fixed jaw 10, the jaw 7 beingpivoted or hinged to be swingingly mounted on the barrel 6 by anysuitable means such as shown at 17. The keyhole appears at 9' and thekey, not shown, but which is similar to the key 8, constitutes the meansfor looking or unlocking the jaw 7. When the jaw 7' is in its loweredposition, shown in Fig. 6, it is locked and when in its raised position,shown in Fig. 7, it is in unlocked condition. The construction of thefixed jaw'lO having the recesses 11 and 12, is the same as previouslyshown and described. The jaw 7' is provided with a channel, cavity, orgroove 7" in its underface to accommodate the loop 5.

In the embodiment shown in Figs. 6 and 7, the barrel 6 is containedwithin a part of the bag or receptacle 1 but the upper part of thebarrel projects above the said bag. Any suitable means may be providedfor attaching the barrel 6' to the material or" the bag 1. If desired,the inturned construction shown at l and the clamp 13, Fig. 3, may beused for securing the barrel 6 to the bag.

What I claim is:

1. A locking means for separable fasteners having an opening-and-closingslider, comprising a body containing a lock subject to operation by akey, and a pair of locking jaws, one of which has a recess in which theslider may be received, said recess having a wall arranged to engage theslider and prevent it from leaving the recess when the jaws are locked,said jaws being capable of being locked by said lock in closedrelationship for the purpose of holding said slider in the recess andbetween said jaws.

2. A locking means for separable fasteners having an opening-and-closingslider, comprising a body containing a lock subject to operation by akey, and relatively shiftable jaws, one of which has a recess shaped toreceive and fit the slider of the separable fastener, said recess andslider having parts which interlock when said jaws are closed and saidjaws being locked in relatively closed arrangement by the aforesaid. keyand lock, thereby to hold the slider in the aforesaid recess so that theinterlocking parts of the recess and slider cannot then become releasedfrom each other.

3. A locking device for securing the slider of a separable fastener,comprising two jaws, one of which is movable in relation to the other,and one of which has a recess, said jaws collectively being adapted tohouse the slider of the separable fastener when received in said recess,interlocking means formed by the recess and engageable with interlockingmeans on the slider, and means for locking the jaws in closedrelationship, thereby preventing separation of the slider from the jaws.

4. In a bag, pouch, or receptacle of flexible or pliable materialprovided with a separable fastener having a slider, a locking devicelocated inside the bag, pouch, or receptacle and having a body embracedby a part of the material of the bag, pouch, or receptacle, meansconcealed within the bag for securing said part of the material to thebody, and means carried by said body for locking the slider of theseparable fastener.

5. A locking means for securing the slider of a separable fastener,comprising a jaw having a cavity to receive the slider, engageableinterlocking means on the jaw and slider, and means for locking theslider in the cavity when said slider is in said cavity and ininterlocked relationship to said jaw.

6. A locking means for securing the slider of a separable fastener,comprising a projection on the slider, a jaw having a recess adapted toreceive said slider and its projection, and means for locking the sliderand its projection.

'7. The combination with a separable fastener having aclosing-and-opening-slider provided with a wide body and a narrow neck,of a locking jaw for securing said slider against movement when it hasclosed the separable fastener, said jaw being provided with a recesshaving a wide part to receive the body of the slider and a narrow partto receive the narrow part of said slider, and means for locking theslider in the jaw to retain the slider in the wide and nar ow parts ofsaid recess, the walls of said recess, when the jaw is closed,preventing the slider from moving.

8. A locking device adapted for securing the slider of a separablefastener having a projection, said locking device embodying a pair ofrelatively movable jaws having means for embracing the slider, one ofsaid jaws being inflexible and having a recess, the remaining jawholding the slider in the recess when the jaws are locked together.

9. A locking device adapted for securing the slider of a separablefastener, embodying a pair of jaws between which the slider may bepositioned, said jaws having means to co-operatively lock the slider,one of said jaws being fixed, and means for locking the jaws in closedrelationship, thereby to retain the slider between them.

10. A locking device adapted for securing the slider of a separablefastener, embodying a pair of relatively movable jaws arranged toco-operatively lock and retain the slider between them, interlockingparts being provided on one of the jaws and the slider, andindependently mounted locking means for securing the jaws in closedrelationship to maintain the interlocking of the slider therewith.

11. A locking means for separable fasteners having anopening-and-closing slider, comprising a body containing a lock subjectto operation by a key, and a pair of inflexible locking jaws which maybe locked in closed relationship to each other by said lock, said jawshaving a slider-receivingrecess provided with means to retain saidslider therein when said jaws are closed and locked.

12. A locking means for separable fasteners having anopening-and-closing slider, comprising a body containing a lock subjectto operation by a key, and a pair of relatively movable, rigid jawscapable of being locked in closed relationship by said lock, one of saidjaws having a sliderreceiving-recess conforming to the size and shape ofthe slider and retaining the slider therein when said jaws are closedand locked.

13. A locking device for securing the slider of a separable fastener,embodying a jaw having a recess shaped to receive and fit the slider ofthe separable fastener, means whereby said slider is retained withinsaid recess, and means for looking the slider in said recess.

14. A locking means for securing the slider of the separable fastener ofa bag, pouch, or other receptacle, embodying a body located inside ofsaid bag, pouch or receptacle and housed thereby and fastened thereto soas to be self-contained with said bag, pouch or receptacle, relativelymovable rigid jaws having means to interlock with said slider when it isbetween them and they are closed, and key-controlled means accessiblefrom the exterior of said bag, pouch or receptacle for controlling saidjaws.

JACOB RIFKIN.

